Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator: Pat O' Sullivan
ASD Unit Co-ordinator: Maire Lyons
Coláiste Na Ríochta welcomes students with SEN (Special Educational Needs). Supports for students with SEN are determined and provided to the school by the National Council for Special Education and managed by the Learning Support Department in the school.
An exception would be where the nature and degree of the student’s needs is such that to enrol the student would be inconsistent with both the best interests of the student concerned and the effective provision of education for the other students with whom the student concerned is to be educated. The school’s ability to accept students with particular needs is also dependent on the supply of resources suitable to the needs of the individual student being supplied by the Department of Education and Skills.
Parents should consult the schools admission and enrolment policy for further information on the enrolment of a student with SEN.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT RESOURCE
There is no automatic transfer of resources from primary school to post-primary school. Therefore, it is essential that students in receipt of Additional Teaching Hours, SNA support, Assistive Technology and school transport (for children with disabilities) notify the Learning Support Department as early as possible so that resources can be applied for and put in place for September. Our school has an Autistic Spectrum Disorder Unit (ASD unit), please contact the ASD Unit co-ordinator for further information or to arrange an appointment to discuss your childs needs.
It will be necessary to furnish the school with a copy of any psychological assessments that have taken place and /or documentary evidence as to the nature of the special need.
Students who are not studying Irish at primary school must first furnish the school with an official certificate of exemption which is recognised and valid throughout their education.
LEARNING SUPPORT
Students who do not meet the criteria for Resource teaching may be eligible to avail of Learning Support. These students are identified through:
- Transfer of information from primary school
- Screening tests
- Teacher observations
- Support is available during scheduled Irish classes for those with an official exemption. These students may also avail of support scheduled during Spanish or French classes where deemed appropriate.
- Where there is no exemption, students are withdrawn for support from non-examination subjects to minimise any infringement on their examination subjects.
- In consultation with parents, some students are referred for psychological assessment to determine any underlying learning difficulties.